A two-hour power cut was enforced in Pune on Wednesday when thermal power generation of the Maharashtra state power generation company dipped from an average 3,200 MW to 2,100 MW in the morning as three generation sets at the Khaparkheda power plant broke down.
However, industries were spared load shedding and power cut may not be required on Thursday.
The MSEDCL was left grappling with a cumulative power shortfall of 3,500 MW and had to enforce cuts in the state including A+ category cities like Pune.
“Urban areas suffered power cuts lasting three to seven hours while rural areas had no power for 10 to 12 hours, depending on their category. Since the power shortage hit us suddenly we could not give prior intimation about the load shedding. However, the situation is improving and the company has already contracted additional 900 MW power for Thursday from the Indian Energy Exchange”, said an official of the distribution company.
Generation from Dabhol and Uran gas-based power plants has also reduced because of shortage of fuel. So hydro power generation from Koyna was stepped up to 1,500 MW to tide over the shortfall.
Trouble started at 9 am when three generation sets — each having a capacity of 210 MW — at the Khaparkheda power station broke down. “The 500 MW capacity set at the plant was already shut because of coal shortage. We have also shut about five to six sets at the Chandrapur power plant for planned annual overhaul and maintenance which is usually done during the monsoon as demand for power is less compared to other seasons”, said an official of the generation company. One set at Chandrapur has also broken down because of wet coal.
The official said that coal was procured for the 500 MW set at Khaparkheda but it will take some time before it starts generating power. “We succeeded in restoring two sets at the plant and by evening, the thermal generation increased to 2,600 MW. We expect things to normalize by late night,” the official said.
Sources in the distribution company said that the situation became worse because the state could not overdraw power than its allotted share through the western grid because of the strict grid discipline norms being followed in the backdrop of the collapse of northern and eastern grids last month. “The grid collapse had affected power supply in 20 states and we have been told not to overdraw power from the grid even if the power frequency was healthy and above 50 hertz,” sources said.
Shantanu Dixit, member of the Prayas energy group, said such emergencies crop up when the generation capacity is on the lower side and barely meets the demand. “When load shedding becomes imperative, care must be taken to ensure equitable load shedding as per the protocol fixed by the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission. We also have to improve coal handling and management at thermal power stations to prevent breakdowns because of wet coal and under-utilization of capacity due to coal shortage,” he said.
